The Shechem (pronounced shek-uh-m) community center, an offshoot of the adjacent Hope Street housing, takes its name from an ancient city in the West Bank near present-day Nablus, drawing inspiration from the biblical significance of Shechem as a pivotal setting for numerous events in the story of Israel. This historical allusion underscores the center’s mission to be a life-changing place for the people who engage with it, offering job skills training, professional development, and youth recreational opportunities. The new facility serves as a physical embodiment of Hope Street’s motto, “The greenhouse for people,” reflecting its role in nurturing and transforming lives.  

“The pre-cast walls do a nice job framing the building and settling it into its context while the courtyard creates a transition from street to entry and becomes a gathering space. Together the two moves enable Shechem to feel open, welcoming, and inviting—an important facet of a community center.”                    

 -Margaret Cavenagh, AIA (Awards Juror)

The design of Shechem aimed to integrate its rich medley of functions, which included a gymnasium, classrooms, a café, staff offices, and a rooftop garden. The design focused on creating a strong visual connection between the building’s activities and the surrounding neighborhood, with precast concrete bearing walls framing the café and educational spaces and allowing ample glass to open these areas to the street. This transparency invites the community into the center, making it a welcoming and integral ‘beacon’ for the neighborhood.

The small courtyard created off Capitol Drive provides the primary access to the building through the entry tower, offering a much-needed refuge from the noise and extreme velocity of traffic on the street. The project, which took seven years of design, fundraising, and construction, attempted to challenge and change perceptions about the area, ultimately demonstrating the profound impact of high-quality architecture on urban spaces and communities. Emphasizing their commitment to bringing a Class A, downtown office-caliber project to the central city without compromise, the design team stated: “Glass can be replaced easily when broken; a man’s spirit cannot.”